2nd post in one day - outta control!

OK, let's not get carried away. Plus, I started Tweeting a couple weeks ago... to keep up with a couple other tri-friends and their trainings. But I draw the line at Facebook. Some things are better off left alone... don't need anyone poking me or finding me that I don't want to find me, ya know...

So after my 3k swim this morning I planned to run at lunch. But that work-thing got in the way again, so I headed home at 6p with the intention of drinking coffee and hitting the trainer after the ruckus died down (BTW, the flu is having a field day in this house so don't breath too hard while reading or you might catch something).

Started to get a little late as I had to run out and buy a b-day card and cake for the little lady for tomorrow (she already bought her present with some custom made drapes for the family room a while back - I don't even want to know the kind of tri bike I coulda had for the cost of those things... ugh!).

So at about 10pm I jumped on the trainer and watched the end of the Bruins as I hammered out a nice 90 minute spin. Glad to have gotten it done and will now NOT beat myself up if I don't wake at 0430 tomorrow to train. Instead will run at lunch (I damn well hope - friggin work).

Number for the ride:
20' wu 58% FTP (a little too low)
MS 1x60' 78% FTP (in the grey zone - gotta keep at 80-85%)
10' cd 56% FTP (little low again)
= overall it coulda been better... but then again I coulda been asleep in bed as well.
Doing something was better than nothing tonight.

G'night!

Time to get back to work (originally entitled "Slacker" until I noticed that title recently being used)

Slacker - more for my ineptitude in keeping this blog-baby going than for my training --- that actually has been good to very good at times over the past 2 months since my last (real) post; it has also seen some down time and troubles...

In true TRI fashion let me quickly summarize what’s been happening since early March ( quick summary cuz I don’t type fast at all!)

SWIM
Ok, so I decided not to continue with the Tony Sufferfests in Dedham on Saturdays this spring – reason being, I need the early Saturdays for a long bike. I can accomplish a great 3 hr ride Saturday morning in the time it would take me to drive to Dedham, have a great swim workout then drive home. With 4 kids, 3 of which have their many weekend sports activities – if I don’t get the work done by 9am I usually don’t get it done – period. So I decided to commit myself to hitting the pool M/W/F on my own (god help me to get there and push it). Started out strong, then had a set back with my wife’s travel schedule – but after a 3000yd swim this morning, and feeling pretty good through it, I am once again excited to be in the pool.
(I will rejoin some masters’ program after the season for sure!)

BIKE
Most improvement and joy in this discipline. I didn’t hit the roads until mid April cuz I hate the cold! But with the addition of my PowerTap and some training programs/bike tests from Endurance Nation I got a lot of great saddle time and fitness in the basement. Once I hit the outdoors I felt (and still feel) great – plenty of room for improvement, of course, but loving being out there, doing the intervals or riding 3 hours.
Even had the pleasure of running into and meeting TriGirlPink in Concord one morning as I was finishing up. Was flying down Lowell, looked over and saw this black P3 with pink Team Psycho decal - there's only one made in the universe ya know. So I had to stop and say “Hi” before she ventured off with the TP team (great to meet you TGP)

RUN
Was really loving my run training for a while there - until I pulled my L hammy doing 4x1 mile intervals.
One of my goals this year is to really work on my running, getting my times down to where I can average low 6’s for 10k or mid 6’s for HIMs. Felt like that was coming along even with the hip… speed was picking up, pacing was dropping (mile/min that is), was feeling fit and strong even with the labrum tear. I think I figured out how to run with it this year = by being under control, having a quicker turnover (which of course is just plain good for your run anyway) and being very careful with up/down hills and never over striding or reaching with the foot. As long as I keep everything within the limits of my "personal space" I feel I can manage the pain. Was even banging out 10k runs no problem. Until the pull --- predisposed by playing wiffle ball in the back yard with my son... this (now) 44 yr old body doesn't like to accelerate too quickly any more.

FINISH LINE
Ok, that’s about it in a nut shell for the last 2 months. Weight is steady at 189-190. Body comp has changed with drop in fat but weight same. Goal of racing at 184 seems hard to reach as I’ve been pretty good with diet… though not up to Jesse’s standards so there is work to be done! It’ll help once I start running again…

So hopefully this is the re-start of my Shakespearean gut-spilling. It’s fun to write and re-read as time passes.
Thanks for taking a minute to read it { TGP :-) }

Mooseman International only 3 weeks away…

Safe Training Everyone!

test test

working?

Man I friggin' HATE Mondays!

So I upload my PT info last night after doing my EN bike test (this was now about 10:40p); figure I'll play with the numbers until about 11p and then hit the sack for 7 good hours of sleep (no early bike on the trainer).

Well, before I know it it's 12:30a and I'm still messing around the internet - NOOooooo. And tomorrow's the always-dreaded Monday at work. Hard enough going in to a Monday fully rested from a good night sleep prior --- now I compound it with a 5 hour night sleep (finally put head to pillow at 1:37a).

When will I ever learn?!?!?! Guess it won't be tonight, cause I had a chance to hit the pillow at 9:30, 10:00 latest. But here I am again at 10:35 checking emails, EN forum questions, and writing the Blog.

Well, that's it damn it - I am finishing this and going to bed - got the coffee ready for 0430; gear out and ready to go. Planning a 90 minute endurance ride at 0500. (gotta remember to change the battery in my HR monitor...)

So a full off day today - didn't want it to be but so it was. Aside from the chocolate chip cookie I ate tonight (alright, 2 cookies I ate) the food intake was good again. This morning's scale read 189.6 (that's after a 72' hard bike before bed last night - let's take it again tomorrow before the workout.

Signing off for now -- gotta get to bed!

pw
189.6

EN Bike test tonight

Daylight Savings today - lost an hor of sleep but it's all worth it now that it'll be light out well into the evenings! Love that!

EN Bike Test
15' wu
2x20' (2')
15' cd

results -
42:00
15.01 miles
FTP 301 watts
HR - not working (battery dead)
first 20' - 322 watts avg
2nd 20' - 296 watts avg = weak effort follow set 1. Retest Tuesday

did some nice core work while playing with the kids on the turf field at LS this morning! I love going down there when the sun is out and it's warm (a little breezy today)...

good eats today - no snacking.

191.4 (this morning)
pw

Few and far between

that's been the frequency of my follow thru with this journal. Luckily, my training has been more consistent.

Over the last month I have gotten some key run wkouts in, slowly strengthening the hip (i think), some great bikes - on my new PowerTap in the basement - and even dipped my big toe into the pool again.

Just last week I started up with TD and the crew in Dedham for the most recent SufferFest (which btw, kicked my a$$ 3/4 of the way thru with major calf cramping = need more Endurance drink)

In true triathlon form, here's a summary of the last month...

Swim - started Feb with consistency and yardage... avg 2x per week, avg 2500y/wkout; several main sets of 1k; after that I felt like I was only swimming slow so I started adding more 100s, 200s and 50s sets. First Dedham swim last week = about 3500y = felt it. Rt calf cramped up pretty bad 2/3 way in; not enough gel or PB Endurance (next time!!!). Have to miss this wk due to Mary's travel.
Overall: pleased to be back in the pool; quite a ways to go!

Bike - best progress so far; very consistent with early morning or later evening rides; using the PT, couple of FTP tests yielding about 290-310 LT. Avg b/t 75'-90'.
Raced the BTT ITT on 3/1 - a 6.4m uphill TT (it was the last 6.4m of the Boston Marathon course... in reverse = basically all uphill, some plateaus, no descents.
Results = 20 OV, 2nd masters 35+, Avg 318 watts; 18:08 = a heart-pumping, lung-burning 18' but worth the early Sunday morning drive into Boston (Landry's on Comm Ave).

Run - some please and pain here; started the month with a couple easy 4m runs from home and work; focused on keeping the core in line and not letting the hip fly all over the place, or over striding = turnover about 84-86. That seemed to work well - was able to run 29'-30' without discomfort (I did feel the hip and knew the pain was there but kept it under control).
After a few of those runs I started picking up the pace - was very pleased with the results. But my last run (about 10 days ago) my hip was sore for several days. Haven't run since due to that and then the snow storm on 3/2 (a little shoveling and the back was pretty sore again - so nothing this last week).
Run results:


All in all a good February. The first week of March, post the ITT wkout, has not had a lot of wkouts. Mary is off to LA for 10 days... the back is sore (saw the MGH back Dr - Kellie McInnis, highly recommend her to anyone) and the snow has caused me to miss activities - should have been spinning every morning or night but haven't gotten my a$$ out of bed (did get a late night spin in during the week though... trying the EN bike test = more on that in my next post).

So again I will try to increase my log entries moving forward --- but right now I have to change a poppy diaper.

pw
192.2

Couple weeks later... couple pounds lighter.

Slowly moving in the right direction. This week I got my first run in in several months. The hip was fine up to the point I expected it to start acting up - about 18-20 minutes into the run. It was an easy pace; 30 minutes in total. Tried to concentrate on form and high turnover, so not to over-reach with the stride which seems to upset the torn labrum. The quads felt wonderfully sore 36-48 hours later - love that feeling! Based on this test run I am STILL not sure if I should have the surgery or not... each day I wait is another day closer to the season I loose in training while I recover. I think I will call the dr's office and see when he is scheduling surgeries and get a better understanding of the recovery time.

Also got into the pool first time in more than 4 months! Actually felt pretty good. Did 1000 yards in 17:11. 8:20 out, 8:51 back. Did this with a pull buouy. Finished with about 150y drills and 50y free - for a total of 120yards. I happy with that. I will be back in the pool Monday, with the goal of hitting it M/W/F each week. Tony's next session is in 3 weeks - going to early April - then he's gone to Sedona. CRAP! Will miss his swim torture fest, it really made my season in 2007. Being able to come out of the water with the Dr and Noel at Appleman was the difference maker for me that day!

I also got several spins in the basement in with the fluid trainer and the Power Tap. I still can't seem to get the software loaded which means I haven't been able to review the data; but I have been watching the meter and doing some LT tests, interval workouts and general spins the last couple of weeks - very happy with the riding so far.

Still taking it easy overall - have usually been one day on, one day off. Will try to start putting 2 and 3 days together if not more. Also will look at getting the weights incorporated. Would love to add yoga - either a class or just a video workout. And I HAVE to start doing mt PT exercises and core strength work at night - even in front of the TV (but I'm either too tired or chasing Blake or helping with homework). It's been an incredibly busy year the last 6 months.

190 this morning... after the ride - will try again tomorrow.
pw